Station-indicating device.



W. W. KINTNER.

STATION INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1914.

1,13942 Patented May 11, 1915.

IIIIHIIIII I I ll] THE NoRmS PETERS CO4, PHOTC-LITHO WASHINGTON, D. C.

WILLARD W. KINTNER, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

STATION-INDIGATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,672.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD W. KINTNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Station-Indicating Device, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a station indicating device of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, adapted for use on street cars, interurban cars and the like.

More particularly it is my object to provide a device of the kind mentioned having a contact arm, adapted to be mounted on a car and to engage coacting engaging devices suitably mounted along the roadway, the device including indicating means capable of actuation by the movement of said contact arm.

Still a further object is to provide such a device including a flexible roll for carrying printed names of stations or the like and means for giving constant tension to said roll.

Still a further object is to provide means for advancing the roll a predetermined distance for each movement of the contact arm.

Still a further object is to provide simple and accurate means for reversing the movement of the said roll.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical, transverse, sectional view through the upper part of a car equipped with a station indicator, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the contact arm. Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 3-8 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows a vertical, transverse, sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a vertical, transverse, sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the coacting engaging device, as mounted on the trolley supporting wire.

In the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the portion shown of the street car or the like. Mounted in the upper portion of the car 10 is a casing or receptacle 11 for part of the mechanism of my improved station indicator. The casing 11 has a portion 12 at one end higher than the main body of the casing, for the purpose of suitably receiving certain parts of the mechanism which will be hereinafter described. Extended longitudinally through the casing 11 and rotatably mounted in the end walls 14 thereof is a shaft 15. Slidably mounted within the casing 11 is a second casing comprising the upright end members 16, a coacting bottom member 17, and the front door or wall member 18 which forms a part of the front wall of the casing 11. The walls 16 are provided with horizontal slots 18 to receive the shaft 15 and to permit the inner casing to be removed through the front of the casing 11.

Extended longitudinally through the inner casing and fixed in the end walls 16 thereof, are shafts 19 and 20, on which are mounted rollers 21 and 22. Coil springs 23 are secured to the shafts 19 and 20 and to the respective rollers 21 and 22. In the front wall member 18 of the second casing is a slot or opening 24. Rotatably mounted between the end walls 16, above the level of the slot or opening 24, is a shaft 25, one end of which extends beyond the wall 16 into the portion 12 of the casing 11. Mounted on the shaft 25 is a roller 26, having at each end sprocket teeth 27. Wound upon the rollers 21 and 22 is a canvas 28, designed to have printed thereon the names of streets or stations. The canvas 28 is provided at each edge with sprocket holes 29, designed to receive the sprocket teeth 27 on the roller 26. The canvas 28 is extended over the roller 26 and a portion of it passes the slot 24, as shown in Fig. 4. The rollers 21 and 22 are so wound on the shafts 1.9 and 20 before the canvas is rolled on the rollers as to normally exert yielding pressure on the roller 19 in the direction indicated by the arrow adjacent to said roller in Fig. 4 and to exert pressure on the roller 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow adjacent to that roller in said figure. On account of the tension imposed by the springs 23, the canvas is always held tight.

Fixed on the shaft 15 is an upwardly extending two part contact arm 30. The parts of the arm are hinged together at 31 and are provided with lugs 82 and 33, designed to engage each other and prevent hinged movernent of said parts in one direction. A

spring 34, secured to the lug 32 in the upper part of the arm 30, holds the two lugs 32 and 33 together normally.

Secured to the shaft 15, within the easing 11, is a laterally extending arm 35 and secured to said arm and to the casing 10 is a coil spring 36 for normally drawing the arm 35 downwardly. A. stop 37 limits the downward movement of the arm 35 and is so arranged that the arm 30 is normally held in upright position.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 15, within the portion 12 of the casing 11, is a gear wheel 38. Mounted on the shaft 15, adjacent to the gear wheel 38, by means of a set screw 39, is a collar 40, formed on which is an upwardly extending arm 41. Mounted in the upper portion of the arm 41 is a short shaft 42. Mounted on the short shaft 42, above the gear 38 is a double pawl 43, having two parts'inclined at an obtuse angle to each other, as shown in Fig. 5. Mounted on the arm 41, above the gear 38, is a short casing 44, in which is vertically slidably mounted a plunger 45. The downward movement of the plunger 45 is limited by the pin 46. A spring 47 within the casing 44, secured to the pin 46, normally holds said pin at the downward limit of its movement. The lower end of the pin 46 extends below the casing 44 and engages the double pawl 43. Said pin-and said pawl are so constructed and arranged that when one of the engaging portions of said pawl engages the gear 38, the pin 46 engages said pawl and on account of the pressure of the spring 47 the pawl is held in its engaging position. When however the pawl is moved until its central portion passes the pin 46, then the tendency of said pin 46 is to press the other engaging portion of the pawl against the gear 38.

Mounted on the short shaft 42 are two arms 48, extending outwardly and upwardly from the said shaft, on different sides. Secured to the arms 48 are flexible devices 49, such as cords, whereby either of g the engaging members of the pawl 43 may be brought into engagement with the gear 38 for reversing the movement of said gear. Mounted on the shaft 25, within the portion 12 of the casing 11, is a small gear 50, in mesh with the gear 38. Fixed to the gear 38 is a star wheel 51. Pivotally mounted on the casing portion 12, near the star wheel 51, is an arm 52, on which is a roller 53 which is yieldingly held in engagement with the star wheel 51 by means of the spring 54. Secured to the arm 30 is a rod 55, whereby the arm may be controlled from within the ear. g The parts just described are designed to be used with coacting engaging devices suitably mounted along the roadway. In Figs. 1 and 6 I have shown one form of said 'star wheel.

engaging devices. The form shown is designed to be mounted on a guy wire 56, which holds the trolley wire 57. The coacting engaging device just mentioned is comprised of two cylindrical devices 58, divided longitudinally into two parts and having in their upper ends a transverse opening to receive the guy wire 56. The parts of the device 58 are held together by means of a bolt 59 and a nut 60. Mounted in each of the members 58 is a downwardly extending rod 61 which is held in the member 58 by a set screw 62. The shaft 63 connects the lower ends of the rod 61and the roller 64 is mounted on the shaft 63.

It will be seen that by loosening the set screws 62 the members 61 may be slidably adjusted within the members 58 for varying the distance of the roller 64 from the level of the track. On account of the adjustable feature just described, the roller 64 may be properly located for engagement by the arm 30 regardless of the height of the guy wire 56 from the track.

In the practical operation of my improved station indicator, assuming that the car is equipped with the device and that the coacting engaging devices are properly mounted along the roadway, the arm30 engages theroller 64 and is swung rearwardly until it clears said roller. The shaft 15 is thereby rotated for a short distance against the pressure of the spring 36 and is immediately returned to its original position after the arm 30 clears the roller 64, by means of said spring 36. The shaft 15 is prevented from returning beyond its proper position by means of the stop 37, which engages the arm 35. If at any time it should occur that the car was going in the wrong direction for permitting the device to be properly worked, the arm 30 would engage the roller 64, and would swing at the hinge 31 against the yielding pressure of the spring 15 and the arm 30 would clear the overhead engaging device. When the shaft 15 is slightly rotated, as above described, it carries with it the arm 41 and the pawl 43, thereby rotating the gear 38 for a certain distance. For accurately fixing the distance which the gear 38 is rotated with each movement of the arm 30, I-have provided the star wheel 51, hereinbefore described, and it will be seen that the roller 53 tends to move the star wheel 51 to the point where the roller is in the center of one of the notches in said The distance from center to center of said notches is the proper distance between the names of stations printed on the canvas 28. Each movement of the gear,

sired for any reason to advance the canvas 28, this may be done by pulling on the rope 55. When the canvas is entirely wound up in one direction, the movement of the canvas may be reversed by pulling on the proper rope 49 and changing the position of the pawl 42. The spring controlled plunger 45 yieldingly holds the pawl 53 in either of the positions in which it may be set.

It will be readily understood that where my device is used, the name of the station which the car is approaching may be visibly indicated to the passengers which would increase the convenience of travel.

Numerous changes may be made in the details of the construction of my device, without departing from its essential features and it is my intention to cover by this application any such changes which may be included within the scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a casing, a supporting frame removably received therein, a plurality of rollers mounted in said frame, a flexible device mounted on two of said rollers and extending over the other roller, said last named roller being provided with means for engaging said flexible device, a shaft mounted in said casing and extending through said frame, said frame being provided with suitable slots for permitting the removal of the frame without interfering with the shaft.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing, supporting members mounted there in and adapted to be slidably removed there from, means for connecting said supporting members, a shaft mounted in said support ing members, a second shaft mounted in the walls of said casing, said supporting members being provided with elongated slots to permit the insertion or removal of said supporting members without interfering with said second shaft, and means for imparting motion from said second shaft to said first shaft when said supporting members are installed in position in the casing.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing, supporting members mounted therein and adapted to be slidably removed therefrom, means for connecting said supporting members, a shaft mounted in said supporting members, a second shaft mounted in the walls of said casing, said supporting members being provided with elongated slots to permit the insertion or removal of said supporting members without interfering with said second shaft, means for imparting rotation from the second to the first shaft when said supporting members are installed in said casing, and means outside the space between said supporting members for imparting intermittent rotary motion to said second shaft.

4. In a device of the class described, a casing, supporting members mounted therein and adapted to be slidably removed therefrom, means for connecting said supporting members, a shaft mounted in said supporting members, a second shaft mounted in the walls of said casing, said supporting members being provided with elongated slots to permit the insertion or removal of said supporting members without interfering with said second shaft, means for operatively connecting said shafts when said supporting members are received within said casing, means outside the space between said supporting members for imparting intermittent rotary motion to said second shaft, and means for reversing the direction of movement of said second shaft.

5. In a device of the class described, a casing, supporting members mounted therein and adapted to be slidably removed therefrom, means for connecting said supporting members, three shafts mounted in said supporting members, rollers on said shafts, a fourth shaft mounted in the walls of said casing, said supporting members being provided with elongated slots to permit the insertion or removal of said supporting members without interfering with said fourth shaft, a flexible device wound on the rollers on two of the first described shafts and extending over the roller on the third of said first described shafts, said third shaft having means for engaging said flexible device, means for operatively connecting said fourth and third shafts when the supporting members are received within said casing, means outside the space between said supporting members for imparting intermittent rotary motion to said fourth shaft, and means for controlling the movement of said third shaft to cause it to travel the same distance at each movement.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 4, 1914.

WILLARD W. KINTNER.

Witnesses SARA RoBINsoN, M. WALLAOE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

